Especially with lightweight and highly flexible fishing rod blanks, it is very important that the line guides be strongly secured to the blanks but without creating a substantial tendency to reduce the smooth curvature or "action" of the blanks. To state one example, an absurd relationship would be to have a very lightweight and flexible blank that is rigidly secured to the bases of long (for example, four inches) and rigid line guides. The line guides would then act as "splints" to interfere badly with the action of the rod.
Accordingly, a very short (longitudinally of the blank) connection is highly desirable. However, this short connection must create much strength in order to ensure that the line guide does not break off. It is pointed out that substantial torque is generated during playing of a relatively large fish, which torque tends to break the guide off the blank.